Liver metastasis after oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC)

Hi and welcome to our group. Keytruda and other similar drugs have been used for many cancers and found to do amazing work in many cases, particularly squamous cell head and neck cancers. Long term effects are still unknown however.
Although I am not a doctor, I have observed how the medical community, against their own better judgement, assume that any cancer occurring after an initial cancer must be a metastasis of that initial cancer. Often it is not. You should ask, “How do you know this is a metastasis of the original cancer?”
Have you had a biopsy of the liver? PET scans can show all manner of things which could or could not be cancer. My PET scan will show I have lung cancer, for the last twenty years. Biopsy will show scar tissue from frosted lung fifty years ago. And I had tonsil cancer between those events. My point is, let’s not investigate cures until we know what we are really dealing with.
After our cancer battle, we always believe everything else is cancer retuning. I for one will be the first to let you know when that thought subsides.
Let’s hope for the best. And if, if this liver spot is a cancer type that Keytruda or similar drugs can combat, then we can go down that street. Good luck.

Thanks. I have had a PET scan and a follow up MRI-CT with contrast to confirm. They seem certain that it is from my throat cancer.

@scottmcf1431, I'm tagging other members like @kathyheidt @sepdvm @thomastunstall, who have written about living with metastatic head and neck cancer.

Have you had your follow-up appointments to learn about the treatment plan? How are you doing?

@colleenyoung
Thanks Colleen.

I’ve been told that I am somewhat of a “unique” case by one of the oncologists. My tumour is 1.6 cm and it is on the outside of segment 5 not near any main blood vessels of the liver. My LFT’s are very good too. He thinks there is a possibility that we could just remove it and that may be it, because he’s not 100% certain that it is a metastasis. I am waiting for the team to make a decision of whether just to excuse it or to give me a couple of months of Keytruda first just to make sure that there aren’t any other metastases. I won’t hear anything back until at least next week. Have some hope now.

@scottmcf1431, I'll be interested to hear what you find out next week. Great that there are options and hope.

@scottmcf1431 A Navdx blood test could show any cancer activity. Is this an option for you?